I hope it's not too late
by synthroid
Summary: Sakura was never brave enough to show Syaoran the feelings she had for him, neither while he was in Japan or after he left to Hong Kong. Now, at sixteen, she finds herself having to deal with him and a second chance lost in a drawer of her desk... S
1. Past...

I hope it's not too late...  
by AJ  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story nor am I in any ways affiliated to Clamp *sigh*. Remember, this is just my mind speaking out loud. ^.^  
  
  
"Oh I SO hate cleaning up!" mumbled Sakura to herself, as she opened one of the drawers of her desk, "I don't like getting rid of my things..."  
  
The sixteen-year-old girl sighed, then sat on the floor. She started looking at everything she had kept for the last year, at least. School papers, sketches, notes, an invitation to Tomoyo's sweet sixteen, a picture...  
  
- It's Syaoran, me and Tomoyo, she thought, gazing at the three kids in navy blue uniforms. The girls were giggling, as always, while a shy half-smile played on the lips of the boy.   
  
"I wish everything could still be the same between us," she said, focusing her view on Syaoran.   
  
Ever since he had come back, for reasons never specified yet clear to those aware of his history with the lovely green eyed girl, Sakura's heart had been drowning in an ocean of emotions she could no longer stand. He wouldn't talk to her, he wouldn't even look her in the eyes. And she knew why.   
  
Sakura noticed a folded green sheet of paper in the back of the drawer and reached for it. She left the picture by her side, took the paper and unfolded it.   
  
She remembered it right away. It was a letter. A confession she had written when she was eleven years old, right after the book of Sakura had been finally sealed and Syaoran had gone back to Hong Kong.   
  
It read:  
  
"There are lots of stars in the sky tonight. But they must be shining to somebody else, not me. Because there's a lot of pain in my heart right now... When I was younger, Onii-san used to say that, if I wished hard on a star, and remained peaceful, the hurt would go away. It doesn't seem to be working this time.  
  
I'm holding the bear you gave me. The bear I named Syaoran, so that I would remember you every time I looked at it. But then again, I don't need anything to remember you... Because it's like you never left me. You're still so present, so warm and comforting to my eyes, even though I cannot see you...  
  
I haven't been myself lately, and I just can't help it. I won't lie to you; I've tried putting these feelings aside, but they keep coming back, and I just couldn't bear to pay myself no mind whenever I thought that you were wrong for me.  
  
I'm writing you because there's something I never told you, and that I think you should know... I never gathered enough courage to say this personally, and believe me, I hate myself for that now. I hate myself because this is not the best way to confess something this important (through a letter, I mean), and also because I know you'll be sad. I know you'll be sad and angry at me for not letting it all out while you still could make your dream come true. I'm sorry.  
  
Aishiteru.   
  
I mean it. It took me quite a while to figure that out. You know, I'm never really aware of what's going on with people around me, and I haven't finished learning how to deal with myself either. But, if it makes you feel any better, I never doubted the feelings I have for you. Ever. I've always been sure that they were real.  
  
So, I guess that by now a lot of things must have been clarified. I hope to see you again soon. I really want us to talk this over, and see where we can go from here. All I ask of you now is, please, don't be mad at me for not letting you know sooner. Like I said before, it's killing me inside, and I've learned from my mistake:   
When you love someone, you should let them know; if you don't, you may lose them forever.   
  
Truly yours,  
Sakura."  
  
She shed a tear. Having no second thoughts, she put the letter in her backpack, along with the photograph. Sakura had been in denial for too long. She had finally won another chance, and she wasn't willing to miss it.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  



	2. Present...

-The next morning, at school.-  
  
Sakura sat on her desk, waiting for Tomoyo to arrive. The piece of paper she had found the day before was being held in her hands. She was rather nervous.  
  
When her friend stepped in the classroom, Sakura ran over to her.   
  
"There's something I have to ask you, Tomoyo-chan,"  
  
"Whoa, what happened?" Tomoyo blinked her purple eyes in an awe.  
  
"Do you think that Syaoran-kun still likes me?"  
  
Tomoyo looked in her friend's eyes and she knew she was being asked to tell the truth.  
  
"I don't know, Sakura-chan," she shook her head, "I mean, ever since Li-kun's been back, we haven't really talked about those matters of the heart,"  
  
Sakura's expression turned into a sad one.   
  
"I see," she murmured, then sighed, "If only he felt the same way that I do,"  
  
With the wish that had been her main goal for the past few years half crushed, Sakura went back to her desk. A few moments later, Syaoran walked in, and Sakura watched him closely. He didn't look at her.  
  
The hours of class seemed to be taking forever to pass by; Sakura wanted lunch time to arrive. When it finally did, she let out a breath she didn't even know she had been holding. Before he could escape her, she got a hold of Syaoran's hand. He looked back at her surprised, and she could see that he was blushing.  
  
"What do you want?" inquired the Chinese boy, dryly.  
  
"Please, I need to talk to you," Sakura looked down, "Come with me,"  
  
"Whatever it is you want to tell me, you can do it right here," Syaoran replied.  
  
Sakura looked in his eyes, and wished he'd make it easier to her.  
  
"Ii-desu," she sighed, "I want you to have this,"  
  
Sakura handed Syaoran the letter and the picture, "Because I want things to be like they were before. Like they are meant to be,"  
  
"Wakari-masita," he said, hesitantly taking them.   
  
"Please, read it carefully," Sakura said, in a begging voice.  
  
"Hai,"  
  
Syaoran left Sakura alone in the classroom. To wait was all she could do then. That would be her punishment for making him suffer as much as he had.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  



	3. Future...

+The day after, at school.+  
  
Syaoran was still mesmerized at the letter Sakura had given to him. He read it over and over, and he couldn't believe that, after all that time holding his feelings back, he would be set free.   
  
- She's late again, he thought, looking at his watch.  
  
His eyes lit up when he finally saw her figure run through the door. She sat on her desk, trying to catch her breath. She looked over at Syaoran, and blushed; she had been caught. Sakura looked down, then covered her face with her hands in a rather desperate gesture.   
  
Syaoran got up, and went over to her desk.   
  
"Come," he said in a soft voice, taking her hand.  
  
"H-hai," she managed to say, for her cheeks were still bright red, "But we're going to miss first period,"  
  
"I don't care," Syaoran looked away.  
  
Sakura nodded, got up and followed Syaoran to one of the places where they used to have lunch when they were younger, under a cherry blossom tree.   
  
"About your letter," Syaoran began, "There's only one question left,"  
  
"Which is...?" she looked up, facing the Syaoran she used to know for what seemed like the first time in so long.  
  
"You should have given it to me a long time ago... Why didn't you?" he said.  
  
She looked down. "I... I thought that if I kept on trying to block my feelings away, eventually they wouldn't bother me again," she sighed, "That's what I've been doing,"  
  
Syaoran sighed. "That's what I've been doing too... But not because I wanted to, simply because I never knew whether you liked me back or not,"  
  
"Do you... erm... " Sakura blushed.  
  
"Still like you?" he asked. She nodded. "Of course I do. I was born to like you,"  
  
She half-smiled shyly. "Hontou-ni gomen-nasai," said Sakura, glancing at the floor.  
  
"Goshinpai-naku, Sakura-chan," he lifted her chin up, as he searched for the love he missed in her eyes, "Aishiteru,"  
  
She smiled, a genuinely happy smiled. "Aishiteru, Syaoran-kun," she said, loud and clear, "I mean it,"  
  
He took her hands in his. "Too bad there aren't any stars now," he looked up at the sky, "I'm sure they would be shining for us,"  
  
A tear ran down the curve of Sakura's cheek. Syaoran wiped it with his thumb, and pulled Sakura into an embrace. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and rested her head on his shoulder.   
  
"Sakura-chan?" Syaoran caressed her soft light brown hair.  
  
"Yes?" said the girl, not letting go of him.  
  
"I feel like I'm eleven again,"  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++  
Ii-desu = OK  
Wakari-masita = I got it, I see  
Hontou-ni gomen-nasai = Really, I'm sorry {Thanks for that one, Pikachan! ^^}  
Goshinpai-naku = Don't worry about it  
Aishiteru - I love you  
  
{A/N - I think this is the first CCS fanfic I actually finished. o_O I really liked writing it, and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it too. ^^ Also, I'm sorry if there are any mistakes regarding the English grammar and/or my *extremely* poor Japanese. ^.^}  
  
  



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